Card game apparatus

ABSTRACT

THE GAME IS PLAYED WITH TRANSPARENT CARDS, EACH HAVING A SINGLE COLOR IMPRINT. THE OBJECT OF THE GAME IS TO ASSEMBLE THE CARDS IN SECTIONS OR STACKS, AND THE STACKS IN ROWS, AND, WHEN PROPERLY ASSEMBLED, THE CARDS FORM A COLORED PICTURE ON A TRANSPARENT BASE. THE CARDS ARE SHUFFLED AND DEALT TO THE PLAYERS WHO PLAY IN TURN. EACH PLAYER ASSEMBLES HIS CARDS IN A FRAME MEANS HAVING CARD-HOLDING MEANS, THEREBY FACILITATING THE ASSEMBLY OF CARDS IN SECTIONS AND THE SECTIONS IN ROWS TO FORM THE PICTURE. THE FIRST PLAYER TO COMPLETE THE PICTURE WINS. RULES ARE PROVIDED FOR SCORING AND FOR OBTAINING OTHER WINNING FORMATIONS. THE FRAMES OF OPPOSING PLAYERS MAY BE SECURED TOGETHER TO FORM A SELF-SUPPORTING, VERTICALLY ARRANGED STRUCTURE. THE FRAMES MAY BE FORMED OF TRANSPARENT MATERIAL, SUCH AS CLEAR PLASTIC, OR MAY HAVE WINDOW-TYPE OPENINGS THEREIN, TO EXPOSE THE STACKS BEING ASSEMBLED BY THE PLAYERS, WHEREBY EACH PLAYER CAN VIEW THE OPPONENT&#39;&#39;S STACK.

United States Patent Primary ExaminerDelbert B. Lowe Att0meySamuel Levine ABSTRACT: The game is played with transparent cards, each having a single color imprint. The object of the game is to assemble the cards in sections or stacks, and the stacks in rows, and,,when properly assembled, the cards form a colored picture on a transparent base. The cards are shuffled and dealt to the players who play in turn. Each player assembles his cards in a frame means having card-holding means, thereby facilitating the assembly of cards in sections and the sections in rows to form the picture. The first player to complete the picture wins. Rules are provided for scoring and for obtaining other winning formations. The frames of opposing players may be secured together to form a self-supporting, vertically arranged structure. The frames may be formed of transparent material, such as clear plastic, or may have window-type openings therein, to expose the stacks being assembled by the players, whereby each player can view the opponents stack.

PATENTEI] JUN28 I97! INVENTOR JAMES WILLIAM NICHOLS FlG.l

IE 25 2R Sly . ATTORNEY v CARD GAME APPARATUS This invention relates to a game, particularly to a card game utilizing transparent cards, each bearing a single color imprint of a section of a colored picture or other graphical subject, the cards forming a complete colored picture when properly assembled in accordance with the rules of the game.

An object of the invention is to provide a competitive card game played by two or more players, or teams. The game, while simple in character, involves choices and decisions in the course of playing which make it interesting to all age groups.

A further object is to provide a game played with a deck of transparent cards. The deck comprises a set of cards for each player or team. Each set contains cards, each of which has a single color imprint thereon. When a selected number of cards are correctly superimposed to form a stack, the stack forms a section or portion of a colored picture, or the like. When the assembled sections are correctly arranged in rows, they form a colored picture on a transparent base.

In playing, each player is dealt or picks up a random card, and the object is to superimpose the cards in correct stacks or sections and at the same time to arrange the sections in rows so that the colored key picture is evolved.

A further object is to provide each player with a frame having card-holding means. The player locates each played card on the card-holding means to form the correct sections or stacks of cards and, in proper rows, to reproduce the key picture. The frames of the opposing players are horizontally aligned so as to facilitate the game in accordance with the rules provided therefor.

A further object is to provide assembly means for interconnecting a plurality of the vertically arranged frames whereby the frames of the players form a self-supporting vertical structure.

My invention will become more apparent from the following detailed disclosure taken in conjunction with the appended drawing in which:

FIG. 1 illustrates a complete assembly of a set of cards fenning the complete colored picture, the assembly constituted by rows of sections, each section comprising a stack of superimposed individual cards, each card having a separate color imprint;

FIG. 2 shows a sectional view taken on line 2-2 of FIG. 1, and shows the superimposed cards forming the colored picture;

FIG. 3 shows a view of the integral colored picture which serves as the key picture;

FIG. 4 shows individual cards, each carrying a single color imprint of a different section of the key picture;

FIG. 5 is a perspective view of the assembled frames, each frame provided with card-holding means, and having vertical and horizontal lines thereon which correspond to the similar lines of FIG. 1 to represent the several sections of the picture to be assembled; and

FIG. 6 shows an exploded view of the assembly of FIG. 5 taken on line 6 thereof.

The game is played with a set of cards made of transparent material. The cards are evolved from a key picture so that, when the cards are assembled by the players in accordance with the rules of the game, they will form the key picture.

FIGS. 1 to 4 show how the cards are evolved. Picture stock 10 comprises a selected number of superimposed transparent printed sheets. After the picture is formed on picture stock 10, the stock is cut into sections along the vertical and horizontal lines shown in FIG. 1 to produce a number of transparent cards from the superimposed sheets of the picture stock. The graphic picture, which may be any subject such as a landscape, animal, or any other subject appealing to various age groups, is designated by character P, and merely for disclosure purposes, it is shown as an abstract dotted line curve (FIGS. 1 and 3) drawn on the desired area of the picture and passing through all the card sections.

Picture stock 10 may be made of any number of superimposed transparent sheets, but in the preferred embodiment disclosed in the FIGS, picture stock 10 comprises three sheets, 11, I2 and 13. The colored picture is formed by printing each of its color separations on a separate transparent sheet, so that when the sheets are in superimposed position, the full colored picture is formed on a transparent background.

In the disclosed embodiment of the invention, a picture having red, blue and yellow colors is utilized. In the description of the invention these colors will be designated by suffix R for red, B for blue, and Y for yellow when applied to the characters designating the transparent cards.

Thus, the picture stock 10 is made up of sheet 11 carrying the red color of the picture, sheet 13 carrying the blue color, and sheet 12 carrying the yellow color.

The individual cards are formed by dividing, as by cutting, the picture into rectangular sections or pieces, each forming cards of suitable dimensions. For exemplary purposes only, FIG. 1 shows picture stock 10 divided into the nine sections numbered 1 to 9 shown in FIG. I. Since each section contains three transparent, separately colored cards, each card is designated by its section number and color suffix. Thus, the upper left section of FIG. 1 forms cards 18, lY, and IR; that is, 18 is the card of that section (I) having the blue color of the picture portion in section 1. FIG. 2 shows the portion of the assembled superimposed transparent sheets ll, 12 and 13 which includes section I forming cards 1B, IR and lY. FIG. 4 shows several of the cards per se with the part of the picture P printed thereon. Thus, card IR shows the portion S1 of the picture representation in its lower right-hand corner; card 6R carries its portion S6 of the picture on its left half, and card 4R carries picture portion S4 on its right half. Cards (not shown) of section 5 would carry picture portion S5 (FIG. 1

Therefore, the number of cards per the disclosed picture P is 27 of which nine are red, nine are yellow and nine are blue. When assembled in the proper and superimposed order, the cards form colored picture P.

The individual cards may be formed by printing a single color on each of the sheets ll, 12 and 13; assembling and superimposing the sheets to form the picture; stacking the assemblies of the sheets to form a stack and then cutting the stack along the horizontal and vertical lines of FIG. 1 into nine, or any desired number, sections or piles of individual cards. Individual cards may also be formed by printing the portion and color of the key picture carried by an individual card on card-sized transparent sheets. For example, the red color of the portion of the picture designated by S1 and carried by card 1R of FIG. 4 would be printed in red on a cardsized transparent sheet.

The game is competitive; that is, it is played by two or more player groups for a winning score. A player group may be one player or a team. For disclosure purposes, it will be assumed that the game is played by two players. To play the game, it is necessary to have a set of 27 cards evolved from the picture for each player. Thus, in the disclosed embodiment, there are two sets or 54 cards provided.

The cards may be made of clear transparent plastic of the same weight used in making conventional plastic playing cards. The clear transparent plastic should be of the type which easily receives and permanently retains colored printing inks.

Basically, the game is played by shuffling the cards to form a random dealing and pickup of cards. As the cards are picked up in turn by each of the players, they are placed in a frame or support to reproduce the rows and sections of the cards of FIG. 1 and thereby form the key picture, P, or, if desired, certain winning formations of the sections 1 to 9. The assembly of the several cards to form the key picture is somewhat similar to the conventional puzzle picture assembly.

FIGS. 5 and 6 show the frame or support means for assembling and locating the individual cards during the course of the game. As shown in FIG. 5, there is provided a support or frame means 15 for one player and an opposing frame 15 for the other player. Each frame comprises top 16, bottom 17 and sides 18. Support or frame means 15 may assume the form ofa true frame, that is, it may have an empty space between the top, bottom and sides; but, preferably, it is formed by having a plastic or other transparent material within the top, bottom andsides to support the cards placed therein. FIGS. and 6 show means formed by a sheet of transparent plastic. Card holding L-shaped members and 21 are secured to the top and bottom of the frame and T-shaped members 22 are secured to the midportions of the frame, whereby support means are provided for three rows of cards. In this embodiment, cards numbered 1, 2 and 3 of all colors will form the top row; cards 4, 5 and 6 the middle row; and cards 7, 8 and 9 the bottom row, so that when the cards are properly assembled, they form the picture P as shown in FIGS. 1 and 3.

If the picture is divided and cut to form other than nine sections, then the frame means would be modified to have the proper number of card retaining means to support the required number of cards for reproducing the picture.

During the course of the game, the frames are located oppositely to each other, as shown in FIGS. 5 and 6. Frames 15 and 15' are held up by the following means. The corners of the tops and bottoms of each frame are formed with socket formations 25. Elongated members 26, provided with end projections 27, are supplied with each game. Projections 27 have a tight fit within sockets 25. To set up the frames for playing the game, the projections 27 of members 26 are inserted into the corresponding sockets on frames 15 and 15', thereby forming a self-standing structure, as shown in FIGS. 5 and 6. Since the cards are of transparent material, each player can view the cards of his opponent. The assembled picture or portion thereof on each frame coincides with or matches the assembled picture or portion in the opposite frame. Thus, as shown in FIG. 5, sections 1, as represented by IR, 1B and [Y in frames 15 and 15, coincide, and in a like manner, sections 2 to 9 of frame 15 coincide with sections 2 to 9 respectively, of frame 15'. It is apparent that the player of 15 has to reverse his transparent key card picture so that it is a mirror image of the key picture of the player of 15.

The game is played as follows: A printed key colored picture is provided to aid the players in the assembly of individual cards to reproduce the picture. The key picture must be reversed by the player of frame 15' if the picture is printed on transparent plastic, so that when playing the two picture planes will match; that is, one picture will be a mirror image of the other. If the key cards or pictures are printed on paper, the one for the player of 15 would be a mirror image of the other. A deck of 54 cards is shuffled and each player is dealt six cards. The rest of the cards remain in a pickup stack. The first player places as many cards on his frame I5 as he wishes, followed by a similar play by his opponent. For example, as shown in FIG. 5, the players placed cards IR and 1B in frame 15 and cards lY and 6B in frame 15. The rules may require the colors of each section to be in a certain sequence, or at random, since the visual result is the same. The first player then picks up a card from the stack and plays one card, that is, places one card in his frame, followed by the second player picking and playing a card. This procedure is followed until one player completes his picture with a pickup card or leftover dealt cards and wins. The scoring may be based on such things as the number of unplayed cards retained by the losing player, the assigning of various value points to certain colors, etc.

lfa player places a card in a wrong section, he may be challenged by the opponent. The rules of the game may provide a penalty for a wrong challenge or a wrong card placement.

The game may be made more complicated for older age groups by permitting a player to utilize his opponents already placed cards in a given section to complete the three-color combination of the player's same section if there are one or two cards in such section. For example, if the player of frame 4 15 has in his frame cards 1R and 18 (as shown in FIG. 5) and it is his turn to pla and if frame 15' has a card IY, the first player may utilize t e card lY from frame 15' to complete his section I, that is, to visualize cards 18, IR and lY in the space in frame 15 corresponding to section I. Conversely, if it is the turn of the player of frame 15 to play, he has the right to utilize cards BB and IR from frame 15 to complete the full color combination 1B, 1R, lY in his section I of frame 15', that is, the three color cards line up visually. The above utilization of the opponents one or two cards may be carried out preferably only during the final winning play, that is, when the player announces that he has won.

The rules of the game may further provide other winning formations. For example, the first player who completes a vertical row (such as sections 1, 4, 7), or a horizontal row, or a diagonal row, may win. Other winning formations may be decided on at the beginning of the game, as, for example, corners made up of sections 1, 2, 4, 5, or other sectional configurations.

Frames 15 and 15' may be made of plastic, metal or other suitable material. In economy sets, the frames may be made from stiff paper stock, and means 25, 26 and 27 would then assume the form of slits in the frame in lieu of sockets 25 and interfitting cardboard strips in lieu of members 26-27.

While I have disclosed a certain preferred embodiment of my invention, those skilled in the art will appreciate that changes and modifications may be made therein without departing from the spirit and scope of my invention as defined in the appended claims.

Iclaim:

l. A card game apparatus comprising a deck of transparent cards, said deck having a plurality of sets of cards, each set comprising a number of sections, each section embodying a portion of a colored picture, said number of sections when assembled in correct spatial order forming said colored picture, each said section formed by a stack of superimposed individual cards wherein each card carries a different one of the several color representations of said portion of the picture, a frame structure, card-holding means for each player secured to said frame structure to provide a support for selected cards to facilitate the assembly of individual cards into sections and to spatially relate said assembled sections in correct order to form the colored picture, one card-holding means being secured to one side of said frame structure opposite another card-holding means secured to the other side of said frame structure, each of the card-holding means having means to expose a card held thereon to the player on the other side.

2. A card game apparatus in accordance with claim 1 wherein the frame structure comprises spaced and horizontally aligned frame units, each frame unit forming a side of the frame structure to which the card-holding means are secured.

3. A card game apparatus in accordance with claim 2 wherein securing means are provided to secure one frame unit to the other to provide a stable structure.

4. A card game apparatus in accordance with claim 3 wherein said securing means comprise elongated members, and separable connecting means for connecting said members to the frame units.

5. A card game apparatus as claimed in claim 4 wherein said connecting means comprise socket means and projections interfitting therewith.

6. A card game apparatus in accordance with claim 4 wherein said connecting means comprise socket means formed in the frame units and projections interfitting therewith formed on the members.

7. A card game apparatus in accordance with claim I wherein the card-holding means are parallel to each other to spatially support the sections in parallel rows.

8. A card game apparatus in accordance with claim 7 wherein the exposing means is provided by making said frame structure and card-holding means of transparent material. 

